1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to insertion systems for filling enclosures to be mailed together with enclosed billing statements and the lo like, and more particularly to a dynamic insertion system and method wherein an integrated system controller monitors movement of statements relative to a plurality of insert feeders, and feeds in to the statements selected inserts according to stored insert data.
2. Description of the Related Art
High volume mailing or mass-mailing is increasing due to increased use of credit purchases, which requires periodic mailing of billing and account statements. Mailed advertising also has given rise to mass mailing. This bulk mailing generally involves several enclosures or inserts which are mailed to recipients. One or more of the enclosures or inserts is generally common to the mail items sent to each recipient, while additional or variable inserts may be included for certain recipients. These variable inserts may be sent to select recipients who use a different credit or financial services or who request different accounting information than other recipients. Such individualized selection of inserts for inclusion with mail items would be very time- and labor-intensive if carried out by hand, and as a result several systems and methods for including selective inserts in mass mailings have been disclosed.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,770 discloses a selective outer envelope inserting system which includes a multiple station inserter and a multiple outer envelope collator. An insert hopper contains control pieces with machine-readable codes which are scanned by a scanner. The scanner interfaces with a microprocessor which controls a plurality of additional hoppers, and selects various combinations of inserts to be included in an envelope. The microprocessor is also interfaced with the envelope collator and directs selective envelopes to be inserted from different envelop hoppers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,281 relates an insertion machine with speed optimization wherein a speed optimization circuit includes a microcontroller which determines whether the insert machine cycling speed should be changed. The microcontroller signals a speed adjustment servomechanism which automatically changes machine cycling speed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,088 describes an apparatus and method for assembling mass mail items wherein a matching system has video cameras which sense sequence indicators on envelopes and create signals which are digitally processed. A controller receives the digitized signals and determines from them whether inserts match or correspond to the indicators.
Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,086 is a method and apparatus for sequential product processing with limited bar code reading, in which codes included on intermediary products are read and recorded before each process step. Processing information for each processing unit is recorded, and the next processing unit, based on the codes and processing information, is selected.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,386 discloses an apparatus for preparing a letter in which a computer receives signaled letter data as formatted information. The computer reformats and selects data, and directs a printer to print material corresponding to the data.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,013 relates a stationary item processing apparatus in which stationary items include encoded information. A feeding structure with a code sensor is controlled by a computer. Codes sensed by the feeding structure are compared to data stored by the computer, which then directs the feeding structure to feed the stationary item into a first feed path to a printing structure, or into a second feed path from the first feed path, depending on the codes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,042 describes an insertion machine with prioritized selection of inserts wherein a processor selectively activates document and enclosure feeders along a transport deck, feeding enclosures based on weight in order to include the maximum weight allowed in a postage category.
Related in U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,505 is a mail preparation system having a data base system which stores insert parameters and codes for items to be mailed. Items to be mailed are marked with identification codes from the data base. A preparing apparatus prepares items to be mailed according to the stored parameters. A detector reads codes on the marked items and a control system responds to codes received by the detector by directing an inserter system to include inserts based on the corresponding insert parameters in the data base.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,504 discloses an interactive outgoing and incoming mailpiece processing system in which outgoing mailpieces including identity-encoded returnable stationary item are processed. A computer having a data listing for the identity codes which correspond to operations, causes the processing system to implement the operations indicated by the codes. The incoming mail or return mail is also processed, with the identity codes sensed, and required changes made to the computer data listing.
Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,830 is an insertion machine with postage categorization and selective merchandising having insert feed stations along a conveyor. A first insert station feeds a master control document including indicia onto a conveyor. The indicia thereon indicate and authorize selected downstream insert stations to feed inserts to the master document. Weights are monitored to determine appropriate postal category, and additional inserts may be excluded if the weight exceeds the postal category.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,925, describes an insertion machine with postage categorization which uses coded identification on statements. A detector scans the codes on the statements and transfers the coded information to a inserter controller system, which uses the coded information to assemble selected inserts with the billing statements. Assembled inserts are then inserted into envelopes which are transferred through a postage meter.
As can be seen therefore, a variety of selective insert systems for high volume mailings are known. However, the aforementioned systems and devices rely on machine-readable indicia printed on controlling documents to direct selective insert feeding, and thus the insertion machine cycle speed is limited by the speed of the scanning cycle. Time and efficiency are also lost due to the additional step of printing machine readable indicia on items to be mailed.
A particularly undesirable aspect of machine readable indicia on mailed items and statements is the impersonalized appearance due to the presence of bar codes, dash codes, alpha numeric sequences and like coding, which detracts from the aesthetics of the mailed items and reduces advertising effectiveness and customer satisfaction. Additionally, the space occupied by the coding is not available for more useful purposes, adding to the overall cost of the mailing.
A further deficiency in the existing art is reduced reliability due to misreading of codes by detection systems, which results in insert mismatching and mailing of incorrect enclosures to recipients. The misreading may be due to poor print quality of the codes, dirt or scuff-marks which partially cover the codes, or dirty or damaged detection optics. Such insert mismatches causes embarrassment, requires additional mailing to correct the error, and can result in customer loss.
Thus, there is a need for a dynamic insertion system for including selected inserts in mailed statements which does not require use of machine readable indicia, which is faster, and which has increased reliability. The subject invention satisfies these needs, as well as others, and generally overcomes the deficiencies found in currently available systems.
The foregoing patents reflect the state of the art of which the applicant is aware and are tendered with the view toward discharging applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information which may be pertinent in the examination of this application. It is respectfully submitted, however, that none of these patents teach or render obvious, singly or when considered in combination, applicant's claimed invention.